How To Organize A Neighborhood Cleanup
How To Organize A Neighborhood Cleanup
Neighborhood Cleanup
A great way to get neighbors together and A How-to Guide for neighborhood
make some changes is to organize a leaders working to make life better for
neighborhood cleanup. people in Battle Creek
How to Organize a Neighborhood Cleanup
• Contact Waste Management and • Thank the volunteers. When you’re trash. Every Saturday morning she and
tell them about the neighborhood done, thank everyone for their time 5 to 15 other neighbors (depending on
cleanup. They may want to schedule and effort. Write thank you notes to the week) gathered in one of the local
an extra garbage pick-up day after businesses and organizations that parks and spent an hour gardening and
the event. Also ask about regulations donated supplies, refreshments, and picking up trash. Now the parks are
on refrigerator and air conditioner volunteers. much cleaner and people use them
removal, yard waste removal, • Gather contact information. more often. The crew celebrates for
recycling options, and dumpster Make sure that you have a record a half-hour every Saturday after the
rental. of everyone’s name, address, and cleanup by having a small picnic in
telephone number so you can contact the park. This allows them to socialize
On and After Cleanup Day them again to get back together for with one another and also enjoy the
celebration and future cleanup atmosphere of the park they have
• Kick off the event. You may want to projects. helped clean.
gather all of your volunteers in a
public place to “kick off” the day and Even if you can’t finish the cleanup Cleaning up your neighborhood
then “march” to your cleanup site (be work all in one day, stay positive and can make life better for your family,
sure to mention this on your flyers and celebrate what you were able to do your neighbors, and your community.
other promotions). This will allow together. You’re on your way to making
other people in the neighborhood to a cleaner and safer neighborhood for Local Resources
see you in action and join in. If you everyone!
want, you can even have a local Battle Creek Parks and Recreation
politician or someone from a A Neighborhood Cleanup Department — responsible for all
neighborhood organization or group activities and facilities at City Parks.
give a “pep talk” to the volunteers
in Battle Creek Pete Baum, activities or Linn Kracht,
before you begin. It makes people feel facilities 966-3431
Lucy lived next to Post Park, a large
good to be recognized (and may also Battle Creek Streets Department —
park in the Post Addition Neighborhood.
give you a better chance of getting responsible for all streets and parks
She became concerned with the lack
the news media to cover your maintenance in Battle Creek including
of adequate lighting and the trash that
cleanup). mowing, watering, painting, etc. of
would accumulate there between the
• Find tasks for everyone. When you days that the city picked up trash. play grounds and parks.
get to your site, make sure everyone She voiced her concerns at several Rande Johnson 966-3507
has a job to do that matches their neighborhood forums and realized that Calhoun County — operates a
physical ability. Older people may several neighbors had similar concerns recycling center. The Road Commission
need to be sitting in a shady area about all of the parks in the Post and periodically accepts old tires for a
while younger people may be better Franklin Neighborhoods. After getting small fee.
prepared to handle the physical labor. in touch with Linn Kracht of the Battle 781-0818
Remember that volunteers have taken Creek Parks and Recreation
the time to come out, so you must Waste Management — provides
Department, Lucy contacted the
always find tasks for them to do! dumpsters for rent (they deliver and pick
concerned neighbors and created the
Manage food and refreshments for up) as well as other support for waste
Summer Saturdays Crew. This group
hungry and thirsty volunteers. collection such as household trash cans
cleaned up the parks on the days the
and cardboard “picnic” waste containers
city wasn’t scheduled to pick up the
and bags.
Cheryl Mead 962-4040
For general questions about Yes we can!, call 269-969-2228 or visit www.wkkf.org/yeswecan. To apply
for a mini-grant to support your neighborhood or community project in Battle Creek, call the Battle Creek
Community Foundation at 269-962-2181.